5. Spindles

The relative movement between workpiece and tool required for the material removal process is generally a combination of feed motion, provided by the drive system, and rotational motion, provided by the spindle. The spindle plays a key role, providing the energy to shear and fragment the machined material.

Spindle characteristics have a major impact on the quality of the parts produced. To meet different needs, machine tool manufacturers offer spindles with different characteristics and numerous options. The aim of this section is to present spindles and their fields of application.